(CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.) – The Wilson men's basketball team picked up its biggest win since becoming members of the United East as it downed Lancaster Bible on Wednesday evening. The Phoenix came into the game in the playoff hunt with four games to go while the Chargers entered at the top of the standings with just one conference loss. After the result, the Phoenix are now tied for seventh while the Chargers are in a logjam with four other teams that now have two league losses.
The Basics
Score: Wilson 94, Lancaster Bible 89
Venue: Gannett Memorial Field House
Records: Wilson 8-14, 4-6 UE; Lancaster Bible 16-6, 8-2 UE
How It Happened
- The Chargers got off to a quick start with an 11-6 lead after an Austin Nile 3-pointer three minutes into the contest, but the Phoenix responded nicely with a 9-0 run after an Armani Jones (Sr., Chicago, Ill. / Christ The King / Bryant and Stratton) layup coupled with an and-one free throw over the next 90 seconds. Although LBC scored the next bucket, momentum had clearly switched in favor of the Blue and White who built that 9-0 stretch into a 22-2 run. Trey Grube answered with back-to-back 3-pointers for Lancaster Bible, but Jalen Pierce (Sr., Richmond, Va. / Collegiate / Millersville) and Tobias Reese (So., Mansfield, Texas / St. Elizabeth (Del.)) balanced it out with treys of their own to make the score 34-19. Lancaster Bible cut the deficit down to a dozen with 3:44 to go in the first half before Jones put Wilson back on track with a jumper. The Phoenix eventually went into the locker room up 19 at 54-35 after Jaylin Davis (Sr., Hampton, Va. / Kecoughtan / Lynchburg) sank a triple as the seconds wound down.
- While the first half was one of the best in program history for the Phoenix, the second started out slow as they nearly went the first six minutes without scoring. By that time the Chargers charged back into contention and made it a six-point game after a Mark Heidebrecht layup. Pierce finally got Wilson back on track with an old-fashioned 3-point play to make the score 57-48. He followed up with back-to-back steals and scores to build the lead up to 61-50 before LBC scored a layup and called a timeout.
- Midway through the second, Lancaster Bible started to chip away and built up a 15-2 run to make the score 71-69. Thankfully the Phoenix were able to counter and built the lead back up to double-digits at 85-74 following a Jalen Bowie (Sr., Frederick, Md. / Frederick / Shippensburg) layup. One last push by the Chargers got the visitors within two once again after a pair of Tyshaun Pulley free throws with 71 seconds left. Bowie responded with a jumper on the opposite end and a steal by Davis helped seal the deal as LBC was forced to foul afterwards and were unable to get any closer.
Inside The Numbers
- Pierce blistered the nets for 25 points by going 10-for-12 overall on the night. He filled up his stat line with seven rebounds and five steals.
- Jones joined him with a 20-point game after going 7-for-9 overall. He added four rebounds.
- Davis was right behind him with 17 points. He was 6-for-11 from the field. He added four rebounds and four steals.
- Winston Raford (Jr., Woodbridge, Va. / Forest Park) scored 13 and Bowie pitched in 11 to round out double-figure scorers for the Phoenix.
- LBC was paced by Connor Store with 22 points.
Up Next
Wilson will look to make it three-straight as it hosts Keystone on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. with WSGA hosting a pregame tailgate starting at 11 a.m. with fans encouraged to wear a jersey.
